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New starring role for Sir Patrick

Acting legend Sir Patrick Stewart OBE is preparing for an exciting new challenge – he’s rehearsing to be a real-life racing driver at this summer’s Silverstone Classic (Saturday 29 July).

The 76-year-old movie star who famously played Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the iconic Star Trek sci-fi series as well as Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men films has just passed his official ARDS racing driver test at the Silverstone Motorsport Academy and is now ready to compete in a special Celebrity Challenge Trophy Race taking place at the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival in late July.

“It was a lot of fun,” reported a delighted Stewart who passed both written and driving tests required to obtain a MSA competition licence at Silverstone. “For someone who has followed motor racing since being a teenager, to drive around Silverstone and negotiate such legendary corners as Becketts and Stowe is just such a thrill.”

Surprisingly, perhaps, for a self-confessed motor sport fan who, on the silver screen, has travelled around the universe at warp speeds, the Hollywood actor claims he rarely puts the pedal to the metal. “Speed is not a particularly big passion of mine,” he says. “But when you are behind the wheel of a nice car it’s quite exhilarating to open it up!”

Other famous faces lining-up on the star-studded grid alongside Stewart include bike racing world champions Wayne Gardner and Freddie Spencer as well as a host of other famous faces from sport, film and television. All be helping to raise funds and awareness for the Classic’s official charity partner Prostate Cancer UK.

Fuelling the Silverstone Classic’s nostalgic atmosphere, the impressive posse of celebrities will be racing competition-prepared Austin A30 and A35 saloons, harking back to the late fifties.

Fans wishing to see their favourites in track action must purchase tickets in advance.